


Shore Leave - Earth

by TempestCain



Series: Five years is too damn long: Snippets from life aboard the Enterprise [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 14:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9611708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TempestCain/pseuds/TempestCain
Summary: Leonard McCoy burst into the deck of the Enterprise, eyes blazing. Terrified crewmembers dodged him left and right.“Has anyone, for the love of God, seen Jim anywhere?”





	

It was exactly a week since shore leave began. It was exactly 24 hours since he told Jim that shore leave was ending. Leonard McCoy burst into the deck of the Enterprise, eyes blazing. Terrified crewmembers dodged him left and right.

“Has anyone, for the love of God, seen Jim anywhere?” He said, exasperated. The Vulcan Science Officer raised an eyebrow.

“I believe you were tasked with the care of the Captain during this shore leave Doctor McCoy, more specifically keeping track of his whereabouts.”

McCoy sighed. “Spock, I’m not in the mood for your high and mighty Vulcan attitude. I need to find Jim.”

Spock noted the desperate tone in the doctor’s voice. Turning his attention to the PADD resting in his arm, he began to type quickly. “He is in Iowa.”

***

There was a singular road cutting across a barren desert. It was completely empty, save for a small dust cloud that was moving quickly. Jim grinned widely, savouring the feel of the wind against his skin, ruffling his hair and clothes. It had been a while since he was behind the handlebars of a motorcycle. The hot Iowa sun beat down on the reddish-orange dirt road. Jim raised a hand to flip his sunglasses down over his eyes.

“Whoooooaaaa!” He yelled, raising his hands over his head. This was what freedom was. Screw Starfleet for just a while.

He remembered the last time he drove down this particular road. Sam had just left the house and in a sudden fit of mad inspiration, he stole Dad’s car. The traffic cop was somewhere around here and chase him to the abandoned quarry. Jim grinned, head turning to read the faded letters on the gate that he turned into. He stopped his bike, kicking down the brake, and walked all the way to the edge of the quarry.

He sat down on the very edge, legs dangling over, and looked down at the mangled mess of car below. It was a very, very long drop. Jim closed his eyes, relaxing into the warm air that blew through the quarry. He was supposed to be on the _Enterprise_ right now, performing the final steps before take off, but he just didn’t feel like warping out today.

Jim picked up a pebble and threw it over the edge. He had come a long way since then. Back then, all he could think about was finally being old enough to leave the house and leave Frank behind. It never once occurred to him growing up that he would end up being the youngest Captain in Starfleet history, not to mention defeating the very Romulans who caused the untimely death of his dad. Nor did he predict meeting Spock and falling in love with said Vulcan.

_Damn,_ he thought, leaning back until he was facing up towards the sky. _I had very weak goals as a kid._

Spock…

He remembered hating him the moment his name was said aloud by Admiral Barnett. He remembered being pissed at the fact that he was being given a hearing for messing around with the Kobayashi Maru. He remembered that anger melting away once he made eye contact with the half-Vulcan. Gah, human emotions were so messed up. He’d almost choose to give them away if it were not for the wonderful emotions he’d feel when he locked eyes with Spock or accidentally touched him. If Bones were here right now, he’d say Jim was being a teenage girl.

“I really messed up this time, didn’t I?” he said aloud. A large shadow obscured his vision, blocking out the sun. “Oh, hey Bones.”

The doctor grabbed Jim by the arm and pulled him up. “You run away from the docking bay just _minutes_ before our scheduled lift off; force me to travel all the way to freaking _Iowa_ and all you can say is hey Bones?”

Jim wrenched his arm away from the seething wrath of Bones. “I knew you’d find me eventually,” he said, wiping the spit away from his face. “Besides, I never asked _you_ to come specifically.” Patting Bones on the back, he walked away from the edge of the cliff. “Nice to know you care, Bones.”

Leonard exhaled loudly. “Jesus, Jim. You could have fallen off this cliff. You could have told us where you were going. I thought you were kidnapped again!”

Jim ran a hand through his blond hair. “I’m sorry Bones. I just…needed some fresh air. Everyone needs some once in a while anyway. This cliff just brings back a lot of memories.”

Bones fell silent, looking out at the vast expanse of the quarry. “What’s so special about this place?”

Jim looked at him with calculating eyes. “I nearly drove a car over the cliff. The car fell, but I jumped out in time. It’s become my thinking spot over the years.”

“Thinking spot, huh.” He mused, eyes surveying the dirt ground. “I could use one myself.”

“We’re so messed up, you and I.” chuckled Jim. He hopped onto his motorcycle, turning the key and starting the engine. “I assume Scotty just beamed you down from the space station, right? He’s getting pretty good at this transwarp beaming stuff.” Jim tossed Bones his PADD. “I’ve put in some coordinates in there. Just give it to Scotty when you get back.”

Jim turned the motorcycle around was gone, leaving a bewildered Bones behind wondering how the heck he got his hands on the PADD that he was certain he left back on the ship.

***

“Keptin on ze bridge!”

Jim nodded at Chekov in acknowledgement, strolling over to the Captain’s chair and sitting down in it. He swivelled around, sending a sly wink over at Spock and then turning back around.

“Sulu,” he said, giving the helmsman a thumbs-up. “Punch it.”


End file.
